Hop plant named ‘YQH-1320 EXP’

ABSTRACT

‘YQH-1320 EXP’ is a new hop plant notable for its abundant cones, tolerance to heat, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Latin name: Humulus lupulus.

Variety denomination: ‘YQH-1320 EXP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

‘YQH-1320 EXP’ is a new and distinct hop plant of unknown parentagediscovered by the inventor as a chance seedling in a cultivated hopfield near St. Mary's, Id. in 2015. The ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ plant was firstasexually reproduced by cuttings near Toppenish, Wash. and has beenobserved to remain true to type over successive asexually propagatedgenerations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant was first selected for its abundant cones,tolerance to heat, and tolerance to powdery mildew. Comparisons of‘YQH-1320 EXP’ to similar varieties ‘Cascade’ (not patented) and ‘BitterGold’ (not patented) appear in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ to Similar Varieties ‘YQH-1320 EXP’‘Cascade’ ‘Bitter Gold’ Aroma Pineapple, mango, Blackberry, Stone fruit,passionfruit, floral, spice tropical fruit orange zest Alpha Acids 7.5%to 9.5% 6% to 8% 12% to 14% Yield (lbs/acre) 2400 lb 2000 lb 2000 lb

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs were taken at Wapato, Wash. in August 2022. The photosdepict current season growth of hop bines, leaves and cones producedfrom root crowns planted in 2021.

FIG. 1 shows the bine of the ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant;

FIG. 2 shows cones and leaves on a ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant;

FIG. 3 shows the upper surface of a mature leaf of the ‘YQH-1320 EXP’hop plant;

FIG. 4 shows the lower surface of a mature leaf of the ‘YQH-1320 EXP’hop plant;

FIG. 5 shows a whole cone of the ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant;

FIG. 6 shows a sectioned cone of the ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant; and,

FIG. 7 shows a ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ hop plant approximately 2 weeks beforeharvest.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following-detailed botanical description is based on observationsmade during the 2022 growing season at Wapato, Wash. Description is ofcurrent-season growth from hop crowns planted in 2021. All colors aredescribed according to The RHS Colour Chart (Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, 6^(th) ed. 2015). It should be understood that thecharacteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon culturalpractices and climatic conditions, and will vary with location andseason. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average ofmeasurements taken from a number of individual plants of the newvariety. The measurements of any individual plant or any group of plantsof the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   Bine:    -   -   Color.—Yellow-green 145A.        -   Stripe.—Narrow, distinct.        -   Stripe color.—Yellow-green 144A.        -   Anthocyanin coloration.—Absent.        -   Stipule color.—Yellow-green 145A.        -   Stipule direction.—Downward.        -   Diameter.—8 mm to 12 mm, average 10 mm.        -   Average internode distance.—25 cm to 30 cm on mature bine.        -   Form.—Climbing vine with drooping laterals.-   Leaves:    -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf shape.—Cordate and palmate.        -   Average length (cordate mature leaf).—7 cm to 12 cm.        -   Average width (cordate mature leaf).—6.5 cm to 12 cm.        -   Average length (palmate mature leaf).—12 cm to 15 cm.        -   Average width (palmate mature leaf).—12 cm to 15 cm.        -   Color-upper surface, mature.—Green NN137A.        -   Color-lower surface, mature.—Yellow-green 146A; vein            yellow-green N148A.        -   Color-upper surface, immature.—Green NN137A.        -   Color-lower surface, immature.—Yellow-green 146A.        -   Number of leaf lobes.—Usually 3 on palmate leaves.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Average serrations per inch.—5 to 7.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Pose.—Upward facing.        -   Texture-upper surface.—Glabrous; blistering absent.        -   Texture-lower surface.—Smooth, veins prominent.        -   Petiole length.—2.5 cm to 7 cm; average 5 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—2 mm to 3 mm.        -   Petiole color.—Yellow-green 146C.-   Laterals:    -   -   Length (at about 40 cm from ground).—Varies, mostly 90 cm to            120 cm.        -   Diameter.—4 mm.        -   Color.—Yellow-green 144A.        -   Internode length.—17 cm to 25 cm; average about 20 cm.        -   Stipule position.—Outward to downward.        -   Stipule color.—Yellow-green 144A.-   Cones:    -   -   Time of flowering.—Early, about 1 week before ‘Cascade’.        -   Length.—30 mm to 60 mm; average 45 mm.        -   Diameter.—Average 20 mm.        -   Number of cones per basal lateral node.—15 to 40, usually            about 25 to 30.        -   Cone shape.—Elongated with pointed tip.        -   Cone compactness.—Open bracts, somewhat compact.        -   Average cone weight.—900 mg.        -   Bract color.—Alternating darker and lighter bracts; darker            bracts yellow-green 144A tip fading to yellow-green 144D at            base; lighter bracts yellow-green 144C at tip fading to            yellow-green 144D at base.        -   Bract shape.—Ovate.        -   Bract tip shape.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Bract tip position.—Lighter bracts curved inward, darker            bracts held out.        -   Bract length.—13 mm to 15 mm.        -   Bract width.—10 mm to 12 mm.        -   Bracteole shape.—Cordate.        -   Bracteole tip shape.—Acuminate.        -   Bracteole length.—10 mm.        -   Bracteole width/diameter.—10 mm.        -   Bracteole color.—Yellow-green 144A.        -   Strig size, compactness.—2 mm diameter, compact.        -   Lupulin gland quantity.—Moderate.        -   Lupulin gland shape.—Rounded, slightly flat.        -   Lupulin color.—Yellow 9A.        -   Yield per acre.—2400.        -   Harvest maturity.—Mid-season (Sep. 1, 2022).        -   Shattering potential at harvest.—Low.        -   Heat tolerance.—Tolerant.        -   Disease resistance/susceptibility.—Good tolerance to powdery            mildew (Podosphaera macularis).        -   Aroma.—Pineapple, mango, passionfruit, orange zest.-   Analytical data:    -   -   Alpha acids (spectrophotometric method).—7.5% to 9.5%.        -   Beta acids.—5.7%.        -   Total oil.—2.1 ml/100 g.        -   Myrcene (as % of total oils).—54%.        -   Caryophyllene (as % of total oils).—5.2%.        -   Humulene (as % of total oils).—9.7%.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct hop plant (Humuluslupulus) named ‘YQH-1320 EXP’ substantially as described and illustratedherein.